The summer’s heat was felt more profoundly in Phoenix’s low-income communities, where tree coverage is sparse or non-existent and where a lack of trees can increase temperatures 11-19 degrees, according to the U.S. Forest Service. 

The nonprofit American Forests showed that on average low-income neighborhoods in America on the whole have 29% less tree coverage than wealthier areas. 

Without trees, unshaded concrete, asphalt and metal radiates heat throughout the day and into the night raising and maintaining hot temperatures. 

A grant to the city of Phoenix from the U.S. Forest Service seeks to change this disparity. 

The USFS announced Sept. 14 that the city of Phoenix would be receiving a $10 million grant to support tree-planting efforts in underserved communities and heat-vulnerable areas. 

The $10 million will go toward the planting and maintenance of trees as well as workforce development. 

Phoenix’s grant was one of 385 grant proposals the USFS selected from various entities working across the 50 states, territories and tribal lands. 

A total of $1.5 billion was distributed as part of the  grant, which was authorized under the Inflation Reduction Act. 

Studies have shown that areas with better access to trees and green spaces have improved health, reduced crime rates, better economic opportunities and, most importantly for cities like Phoenix, lower average temperature, according to the USFS. 

The USFS said 100 percent of funding will go to disadvantaged communities. 

“Everyone deserves to have adequate tree coverage and receiving this funding allows us to expand our tree planting efforts in the hottest parts of Phoenix,” Phoenix Urban Tree Program Manager Lora Martens said. “Planting more trees allows us to mitigate heat, conserve energy, and provide more shade for our residents.” 

The grant aligns with Mayor Kate Gallego’s commitment to tree equity that she made in 2021. 

“This significant award is more than just money for tree planting — it's an acceleration toward a cleaner, cooler, more equitable Phoenix,” Gallego said. 

The $10 million received will be added to the already $4 million from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 funding that was approved by Phoenix City Council in 2022 for urban forestry. 

Funding from the ARPA was used toward Community Canopy, a grant program that offers trees to individuals and neighborhoods, and the Canopy for Kids grant program, which works to provide trees for public and nonprofit schools. 

Tucson also received a portion of the Urban Community and Forestry grants, receiving $5 million to invest in trees and more green spaces. 

Tucson Mayor Regina Romero said the trees that will be planted will benefit “our most vulnerable residents: our senior citizens, children, and low-income communities.” 

Kailash Garcia-Delaney is an Arizona State University journalism student. We would like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments, pro or con, on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org.